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Cue all of the nostalgic feelings because Hamburger Helper is making a comeback — and this One-Pot Hamburger Helper is just as good as the boxed version and a little bit better for you.
Raise your hands if you grew up on Hamburger Helper! My mom made it all the time when I was a kid and I think we can all agree that stuff is freaking delicious. This homemade version has all the same flavors of that nostalgic dish, but is made with nourishing ingredients that will make you feel good. It’s also such a great option for when you just don’t have time to think or cook dinner!
Plus, it doesn’t take any longer to make than the boxed version! For families that have picky eaters, this dish may just be the answer to your prayers.
ingredients:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Ground Beef
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Tomato Paste
- Dried Elbow Pasta
- Beef Broth
- Milk
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Fresh Parsley
step-by-step:
step one: cook the beef
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or pot set over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook, breaking up the ground beef with the back of a spoon, until the beef is cooked through, no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of excess fat, if needed.
step two: add the tomato paste
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
step three: cook the pasta
Add the pasta, beef broth, and milk and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is tender, stirring very often, until most of the liquid has absorbed and the pasta is al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.
step four: fold in the cheesy and herbs
Remove from heat and fold in the cheese. Garnish with parsley, if using. Serve and enjoy!
recipe faqs:
You can substitute the two cups of milk with almond milk or use four cups of beef broth instead. You can also omit the cheddar cheese altogether.
Heat the mixture in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup of beef broth to rehydrate the noodles, depending on how much you’re reheating, until the noodles are tender and you reach your desired consistency.
So here we have it—a one-pot, easy, and delicious One-Pot Hamburger Helper that your kids will love!
looking for more one-pot recipes? try these!
One-Pot Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff
One-Pot Spaghetti-O’s with Mini Meatballs
One-Pot Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 12 ounced dried elbow pasta, such as Jovial Brown Rice Pasta
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or pot set over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook, breaking up the ground beef with the back of a spoon, until the beef is cooked through, no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of excess fat, if needed.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Add the pasta, beef broth and milk and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is tender, stirring very often, until most of the liquid has absorbed and the pasta is al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fold in the cheese. Garnish with parsley, if using. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
Delicious and simple! Good for the whole family and makes easy leftovers. My kids love.
This is my boys’ favorite meal! We eat it at least twice a week! I make it with ground turkey and everyone loves it
A new husband favorite!! And it will be a recipe he can make 🤣🙌🏼 But seriously it’s amazing and so easy!! And it’s nice to eat a healthier version of my favorite childhood dinner. 💕💕 THANKS, ALEX!!
We’ve made this several times and it’s a hit for us! I love that it’s easy to tweak with what I have on hand. I’ve used rice milk or soy milk, beef or pork, added mushrooms, spinach, and frozen peas. It’s a great framework to play with!
We make this a few times a month and I’ve passed it on to my SIL and their family loves it as well! We use Oatmilk and GF pasta and it comes out delicious every time!
This recipe is fantastic and blows the boxed stuff out of the water. This is the second time in about a week I’ve made this recipe, so I wanted to share something I discovered when I realized I didn’t buy milk. If you double the beef stock and use about 2 ounces of cream cheese as well as a tablespoon of butter, you get a fantastically thick and creamy sauce – much better than what you get with the milk! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I like to add carrots, broccoli, and peas as well. It really works well. I’m curious if I can convert this to a low-carb meal as well! Anyway, thanks again. I’ll certainly be using this recipe again and again. (Tip: take Gina’s recommendation of the fresh parsley – it totally transforms the dish!!)
We make this once a week every week! It comes out perfectly every time.
Another winner! Love that these are simple pantry staples and that it’s one pot. Thank you!!
Soooo good – and my 3yo asked to eat it every day! I don’t think it needs cheese, is totally delicious without! Just needed a bit more salt and pepper for our taste. Thanks for this!!!
Added in some frozen veg (carrots, corn, beans & peas) when I added in the pasta. Turned out super easy!
Love this recipe! It is a go-to everyone loves! Thank you!!